1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for passive leg-exercise of the kind comprising a pedal bearing on a floor stand, a crank with a pedal arranged on each side of the bearing and driven by an actuating motor, a handle bar at the top with gripping handles, and a body which is essentially made up of smooth panels extending in vertical planes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus of this kind is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,749. This arrangement is basically derived from the structure of a bicycle in as much as a saddle, the pedal bearing and the handle bar together form a triangle in which the handle bar, as viewed by the user of the apparatus is obliquely forwards above the pedal bearing whilst the saddle, viewed in corresponding manner is obliquely rearwards above the pedal bearing. With such an arrangement only users who are capable of sitting on a saddle and moreover have sufficient directional control over their leg movements can use the apparatus for passive leg exercise. Since with this arrangement the body-cladding slopes obliquely forwards away from the user whilst the narrow side of the cladding which faces the user must remain accessible for actuation of a switch button, there is a risk that the knees of the user, where there is inadequate control function, may knock against the edges of the cladding panels or they may even knock against each other. For this reason apparatus of this kind cannot be used by patients suffering from diseases which confine the patient to a wheelchair. With the aid of this apparatus it is not possible to produce the leg exercises which are strictly of the passive exercise type such as required for paraplegics and multiple-sclerosis sufferers.
Yet the therapeutical value of even strictly passive leg exercise is quite indisputable because it helps to delay or even completely prevent atrophying of the leg muscles. Besides this it is also possible in the healing phase following spinal injuries and leg fractures to assist and accelerate the healing process at a relatively early stage of the therapeutical treatment by application of passive leg exercises.